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5 Oct 2009 : Column 2315W—continued
Voluntary Work: Vetting
Mr. Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will place in the Library a copy of the Office of the Third Sector guidelines on Criminal Records Bureau checks for volunteers issued to local authorities. [287285]
Angela E. Smith: The Office of the Third Sector's guidance on Criminal Records Bureau checks was published in June 2008 and is available on the following websites.
The Office of the Third Sector
Following comments from Third Sector stakeholders a copy of the guidance was distributed to local authorities by the Local Government Association in May 2009.
The guidance document has been placed in the Libraries in the House.
Defence
Afghanistan
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff from his Department are based in the provincial reconstruction team base in Lashkar Gar; what proportion of such staff (a) have left the perimeter of the base by road during their tour and (b) are performing roles which could be undertaken at Camp Bastion; and if he will make a statement. [291094]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 14 September 2009]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Mr. Alexander) on 14 September 2009, Official Report, column 2109W.
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contacts there were between British forces and anti-coalition militia in Afghanistan in each month since June 2006. [251650]
Mr. Hutton: The Ministry of Defence is currently collating and validating the data needed to answer this question. I will write to the hon. Member when his work is complete, and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Substantive answer from Bob Ainsworth to Liam Fox:
I am writing to provide you with the information promised in my predecessor's holding replies to your Parliamentary Questions regarding contacts between British forces and anti-coalition militia in Afghanistan on 24 February 2009, (Official Report, column 520W).
The Ministry of Defence has recently completed a review of the data required to answer this question, and has revised the manner in which we classify and present data to ensure consistency.
The numbers of troops in contact events (regardless of the instigator) involving the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and insurgents in Helmand province as part of Task Force Helmand for each complete month from June 2006 to February 2009 for which verified data is available are shown below.
| 2006( 1) | 2007( 1) | 2008( 1) | 2009( 1) | |
| (1) Rounded to the nearest 10. | ||||
ISAF forces operating in Helmand come from a number of different nations, which often operate closely alongside each other and alongside Afghan Army and Police units. Without undertaking a detailed assessment of each engagement, it is not possible precisely to define in every case whether an attack was aimed at UK forces, at our ISAF partners, or against Afghan units. Data is therefore collected on the number of incidents involving ISAF forces in Helmand without attempting to identify the nationality of the forces actually being attacked. The environment in which forces are operating makes it extremely difficult precisely to distinguish between incidents initiated by insurgent forces and those initiated by ISAF.
This data is based on information derived from a number of sources and can only be an estimate, not least because of the difficulties in ensuring a consistent interpretation of the basis for collating statistics in a complex fast-moving multinational operational environment.
I hope that the above information addresses your concerns on this matter.
I will place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) between what dates the reported 84 per cent. increase in helicopter hours available to UK forces in Afghanistan was achieved; [289130]
(2) between what dates the reported 60 per cent. increase in the number of helicopters available to UK forces in Afghanistan was achieved. [289131]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The 60 per cent. increase in the number of helicopters and the 84 per cent. increase in helicopter hours available to UK forces in Afghanistan relate to the period from November 2006 to April 2009. These increases do not include helicopters or helicopter hours provided by other coalition forces.
Armed Forces: Health Services
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Defence Medical Service personnel were based in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) England, (d) Northern Ireland, (e) Cyprus and (f) Germany in each of the last five years. [290781]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The number of Defence Medical Service personnel(1) based in each location as at 1 April each year is provided in the following table. The data before 2007 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
Due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System all strength statistics are provisional and subject to review.
(1 )Some Army Medical Service personnel are excluded from these figures as some will work outside of the Army Corps that were used to identify Army Medical Service personnel.
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Armed Forces: Medical Services
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel from the Royal Naval Medical Services were based in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) England, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) other countries in each of the last five years. [291378]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The number of Royal Naval Medical Service personnel based in each location as at 1 April each year is provided in the following table. The data before 2007 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
| (1 )Fewer than five. (2 )Other countries also includes Cyprus and Germany. Notes: 1. Due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System all strength statistics are provisional and subject to review. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. | |||
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel from the Army Medical Services were based in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) England, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) other countries in each of the last five years. [291379]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The number of Army Medical Service personnel(1) based in each location as at 1 April each year is provided in the following table. The data before 2007 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
| (1) Other countries also includes Cyprus and Germany. Note s : 1. Due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System all strength statistics are provisional and subject to review. 2. Some Army Medical Service personnel are excluded from these figures as some will work outside of the Army Corps that were used to identify Army Medical Service personnel. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. | |||
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel from the Royal Air Force Medical Service were based in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) England, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) other countries in each of the last five years. [291382]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The number of personnel posted to the Royal Air Force Medical Services based in each location as at 1 April each year is provided in the following table. The data before 2006 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
| (1 )Including Cyprus and Germany. Notes: 1. Due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System, all strength statistics are provisional and subject to review. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. | ||||
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